Volta a Catalunya 2017: The Route

The Volta a Catalunya takes place from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 March, 2017. Traditionally the race is a blend of hills, mountains and sprint stages. For the first time since 2005 the route of the 2017 Volta a Catalunya features a team time trial.

The Volta a Catalunya opens on a route leading from Calella to Calella, as it does since 2012. Yet, the course is never the same. Sometimes a chance for sprinters, the next time an attacker snatches both stage win and leaders jersey. In 2017, the route takes in six climbs.

Stage 2 is played out in the comarca Pla de l’Estany. The 41.3 kilometres team time trial leaves from Banyoles to finish there as well. It’s the first TTT in the Volta a Catalunya since 2005.

The route of stage 3 is perfect for climbers. After leaving departure place Mataró the course takes in Puerto de Toses while the finale offers a double ascent to ski-resort La Molina. That’s two times a 5.6 kilometres climb at 5.8% with steepest sectors of 9%. The La Molina stage was in last three editions of the Volta a Catalunya and the 2017 winner follows in the footsteps of Joaquim Rodríguez (2014), Tejay Van Garderen (2015) and Daniel Martin (2016).

Stage 4 travels on fairly flat roads to Igualada before stage 5 is sure to detonate the fireworks. Although the course leads through the delta of the Ebro River the finale brings a tough climb to the table. The finish is at Lo Port, a peak in the mountain range Los Puertos de Tortosa-Beseit. The 8.4 kilometres closing climb at 9% is marked by steepest ramps of 20%. The last victor on these slopes was Luis Herrera in 1991.

Stage 6 leaves from Tortosa, a small town on the Ebro River, to travel to Reus. The finale is a descent of some 20 kilometres.

The closing stage of the Volta a Catalunya is played out on familiar ground. Finishing in Barcelona, the course takes in a closing circuit that circles around Alto de Montjuic, the famous 2 kilometres climb at 5.7% in the Catalan capital. The steepest sector of 8% is right below the top.